Wacken Open Air festival site undergoes major excavation

Wacken Open Air site in Germany has been given extensive upgrades to repair damage and improve conditions for 2017 festival

Wacken Open Air festival site is undergoing major excavation as organisers work to restore the area and get it ready for 2017's event.

Excavators, tractors and bulldozers were used to remove sinks and elevations in the ground as water accumulated and could no longer drain off from the site.

The drainage system has also been expanded and improved as part of the second phase, with a canal being built to absorb the surface water of the entire site. An additional water storage has also been constructed – with surplus water directed into the Kiel Canal.

The last phase focuses on planting the field. As grass cannot sustain itself long-term under the drastic impact of large-scale festivals, organisers are planting clover and mustard seed next to field grass. This keeps the soil well-aerated and works as a natural drainage due to their deep roots.

Other areas have been fixed with gravel to secure the festival ground and the channels of supply.

Organiser Holger Hubner says: "Over the last few years, we have reached the limits of what we can expect from our 'Holy Wacken Land' and the visitors."